Universal electric sign system



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ATTORNEYS.

, Patented Dec. 10, 1935 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE I 2,024,074 UNIVERSAL ELECTRIC SIGN SYSTEM Frank-J. Sprague, New York, N. Y., assignor to Sprague Signs, Inc., Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Original application November 19, 1929, Serial No.

408,347, now Patent No. 1,835,912, dated Decem- 1 her 8, 1931. Divided and this application September 23, 1931, Serial No. 564,657

r. 16 Claims. (Cl. 177-350) of great variety. For instance, facsimile reproductions, script, silhouettes or the like may be displayed, together with prearranged display in word and sentence form, and the display may be still or moving, may proceed in any direction, and

plays may follow each other in slow or rapid succession, and in any desired sequence, and all or a part of the lamps may be used for the difierent displays.

This application is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 408,347, filed November 19, 1929, now'Patent No. 1,835,912, dated Dec. 8, 1931 system in which the display may proceed progressively, or step by step, or intermittently, and

in which the various kinds of display may be obtained without any alteration or change in the construction of the parts, and in which the character of display can be instantly changed from one to the other.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sign system in which a prearranged and improvised display may be simultaneously shown,

or may be alternated or combined.

A still further object of my invention is to provide for a display of multiple words and sentences which are brought into visibility and progressed vertically in linotype fashion in a novel arrangement, whereby I obtain an increase in the amount of information displayed bymoving sign letters without increasing the speed of light change required in present day moving letter displays, and at the same time am enabled to use standard lamps, and to obtain a uniform use thereof.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means whereby multiple words and sentences, or designs may be displayed as still exhibits, or continuously or in stepped or intermittent movement, with automatic control, or

under manual control, or both.

the display and the control of one or more independently operating silhouettes of fixed shape" or articulated form, and also for the control of the display by means of a novel pantograph construction. Another object is to provide for a plurality of master platens for operation in connection with independent or combined display, and to provide means adapted to display on the lamp mass signs at various rates of speed, and the difierent disand an object of the invention is to provide a sign Another obj ect of the invention is to provide for novel construction and means of mounting the same.

A still further object ofmy invention is to vary the intensityof the lamps without the use of resistances, produce a desired degree of illumination, and to also maintain the selected inten-. sity of the lamps constant, irrespective of the speed of progressive sign display or the speed in changing from moving to still display and vice versa. 10 Further objects of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate an embodiment of my sign system:

Fig. 1 is partly a top view, partly a diagrammatic representation, of an apparatus illustrating my invention, also showing the electric circuit arrangement therefor.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic representation of the apparatus and circuits of Fig. 1. '20 Fig. 3 is a diagram showing, for a single lamp, the controlling circuits in a simplified arrangement.

Fig. 3a. is a diagram showing, for a plurality of lamps, a controlling circuit arrangement similar to that of Fig. 3, also embodying additional controlling means.

Figs. 3b and 3c.are diagrams showing, for a single lamp, an alternative circuit arrangement whereby in Fig. 3b the relay is deenergized, and in Fig. 3c the relay R is energized.

Fig. 3d is a diagram similar to Fig. 3a. and showing a plurality of initiating circuit-breakers.

Figs.- 4 and 4a to 49, are diagrams showing at successive intervals the condition of the controlling circuits of a single lamp when it participates in a moving display.

Figs. 5 and 5a. are diagrammatic illustrations of a modified form of the circuit-breaker of the initiating circuit which permits variation of the lamp intensity without the use of rheostats.

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the sign control apparatus of Fig. 1 showing the record-driving mechanism, .the circuit-breakers of the maintaining and initiating circuits, and the driving motor.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation, partially in section, of

part of the control mechanism of Fig. 1, showing the contacting and driving mechanism for the display of moving signs from a perforated record.

Fig. 8 is a diagram of a speed controlled rheostat to maintain the selected brilliancy of the lamp irrespective'of the speed of progress of the display. at

. installation Fig. 9 is a top view of the upper contact block used with moving sign records.

Fig. 10 is a side view of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a bottom view of Fig. 9.

Fig. 12 is a cross-section of Fig. 11, along lines Fig. 13 is a front view of Fig. 11, with parts broken away.

Fig. 14 is anen'larged detail of the tong contacts of Fig. 12.

Fig. 14a is a side view of one of the tong strips.

Figs. 15 to 18 are typical illustrations of perforated records.

Fig. 19 is a diagram illustrating the effect obtained with my so-called silhouette type sign.

Fig. 20 is a schematic front of the display board showing part of the lamp bank.

Fig. 21 is an enlarged section through one of the lamp units of the display board showing the unitary construction of the lamp socket and relay.

Fig. 21:: is a plan view of Fig. 21 partially in section.

Fig. 22 is a fragmentary view of the bus bar electrically interconnecting the armatures oi the) relays in one horizontal row.

Fig. 23 is a plan view of the pantograph construction showing its relationship to one of the contact platens.v

Fig. 24 is an edge view of the pantograph.

Referring to the drawings and, more particularly to Fig. 1, the apparatus for my sign system consists in its main parts of a display board carrying massed electric lamps and of control means for lighting and blanking of the lamps. The lamps of, for instance, the top row, illustrated diagrammatically, are designated L-l, L 2 and L3 and those of the next lower row are designated L4, L-i and L-li. -It is-to be understood, of course,

being used for illustrating purposes. Many thousands of lamps would be used, for instance, in an for outdoor advertising purposes. The lamps L-l, L-2, etc. are disposed on the display board symmetrically in vertical and horizontal lines and in close proximity to each other. The board or panel may be any suitable supporting structure, as, for instance, a steel frame.

Relays R-I, R-2, etc. are provided one for each lamp and which I prefer to locate on or near the display panel, the controlling means are preferably common control panel J. This control panel J is easily accessible for an operator; and in case of outdoor advertising it would be preferably located at a considerable distance from thelamp board in a convenient control booth.

Fig. 3 illustrates in its simplest form the circuits and controlling means for a single lamp.

The lamp L- is shown connected in series with a relay R together .with which it may be energized by means of two circuits.

.c'xplaszatory circuits One of these circuits, hereafter referred to as the initiating or pilot circuit, comprises a normally open movable contact p which cooperates that there are in practice a great many more lamps in each row, three only .interposed circuit-breakers Bl,

'narrow segments :r2-:r2 of with exception of these relays to one end of the coil source of current supply may be used, both D. C.

of current supply. When the contact p is brought in contact with the fixed contact 71., the initiating circuit is closed and relay R and lamp L are energized.

Energization of relay R closes a second circuit hereafter referred to as the maintaining circuit. This circuit comprises a stick armature m of the relay R which contacts with an upper contact 111., when the relay R is energized.

When, dueto the just referred to closure of the initiating circuit, the relay R is energized and armature m attracted, the maintaining circult is closed as followsz-from the positive battery through wire I00, lamp L, coil of relay R, armature m, contact '01., wire H8, wire lnl, back to negative batte y. It shouldbe noted that while the initiating and maintaining circuits may have separate sources of current and different voltages, as a rule I prefer to use a common source of current supply and the same voltage for both circuits, and to illustrate this I have shown the wires Hi2 and I 0| connected with dotted lines. 25

When the maintaining circuit is thus established, the 'relay R remains energized and the lamp 1. lighted even should the initiating circuit again be broken at contact 1.

Fig. 3a illustrates the controlling circuits just described for a plurality of lamps, as wellas further controlling devices in the nature of circuitbreakers for the initiating and maintaining circuits.

The individual circuits of the lamps L-l L-2, L-3, etc., are the same as shown in Fig. 3. However, there is interposed in the initiating circuit a circuit-breaker C which is common. to all the lamps and in the maintaining circuits there are B2, etc., each of 40 which is common to all of the lamps of one horizontal row.

The circuit-breaker C consists of a rotating contactor it! provided on its periphery with two insulating material, diametrically opposite each other. Cooperating with the contactor M are two spring contacts c-c, so that the contactor a2 bridges the spring contacts c-c except for the short time-interval when the spring contacts engage with the insulating portions x2-z2.

The circuit-breakers Bl, B2, etc., interposed in the maintaining circuits of the lamp and relay combinations are of similar construction to the circuit-breaker C. For instance the circuit breaker Bl consists of a rotating contactor ul provided on its peripherywith two narrow segments :cl-xl, of insulating material, which are diametrically opposite each other.

Two spring contacts bi-bl cooperate with the contactor at and are bridged by the same except for the small intervals of time in which they lie on the insulated segments ail-ml.

The use of individual circuit-breakers Bl, B2, etc. in the maintaining circuits of groups of lamps rather than of a single circuit-breaker for all of the lamps of the display board while advisable to sub-divide the total current passing through the lampssuch total current being in usual installations of considerable magnitudeis particularly of importance in increasing the flexibility of the system, as will later appear from the ex-- planation under the heading Initiating and maintaining circuit breaker operationLamp brilliancy" While I have shown in Fig. 3a a common circuitebreaker B for all of the-lamps of a horizontal row, conditions may require a. further subdivision; also, instead of controlling the maintaining circuits of the lamps of a horizontal row by a common circuit-breaker, the lamps of a vertical row or of any other selected group of lamps can be thus similarly controlled.

On the otherhand, while as a rule it is sufficient to provide a single circuit-breaker for the initiating circuits of all of the lamps of the display board, so far as the question of current subdivision is concerned since the current broken by same is of small magnitude, in some cases a plurality of initiating circuit-breakers may be uti-* lized each for a given group of lamps for added flexibility.

The operation and function of the circuitbreakers l3 and C will be more fully explained later on. Here it should be only pointed out that upon manual or automatic closure of selected contacts p, as, for instance, the contact 9-2 of Fig. 3a, the corresponding lamp L-2 and relay R,2 are energized by the initiating circuit, provided the metallic portion u2 of the circuit-breaker C is contacting with the spring contacts c-c.

Upon energization of the relay R2 the ar-' mature'm2 is attracted and the maintaining circuit of the relay R-2 and lamp L-2 is established, provided the metallic portion ul of the circuit-breaker BI is contacting with the spring contacts blbl, and, even should the contactp2 be broken in the meantime, therelay R--2 remains energized and the lamp L-2 lighted as long as the maintaining circuit is not broken, i. e., until the insulated portions :1:l-:I:l come under the spring contacts bl-bl of the circuit-breaker Bl.

The circuit-breaker C and the circuit-breakers BI,.B2, etc., thus control the automatic closing and opening of the initiating and maintaining circuits. However, the selection of the lamps to be lighted is through the actuation of the contacts p. The actuation of these contacts, as well as the sequence and duration of the various conditions set up in the controlling devices and cir-' cuits will be more fully explained later on.

Switches s-6 and s! may be provided to bypass the circuit-breakers B and C for reasons later explained.

Instead of using .the arrangement of Fig. 3 in which, as shown, the lamp L is included in both the initiating and the maintaining circuits, it is also feasible, as shown in Figs. 3b and 30, to place only the relay R in the initiating circuit, and light the lamp L only through the maintaining circuit. Thus, upon closure of the contact p, Fig. 3b, the relay R will be energized through a circuit going from plus battery, wire J00, relay R, wire H5, fixed contact h, movable contact p, wire I05 and. wire I02, back to negative battery. Energization of the relay R causes the armature m to be attracted and. the maintaining circuit to be established. The lamp L is now lighted bymeans of the following circuit (Fig. 3c) plus battery, wire I00, relay R, armature m, contact m, lamp L and wire IOl, back to negative battery.

It should be noted that with such arrangement and using the same voltage for the initiating and maintaining circuits, a higher pick-up voltage for the relay proper may be obtained'than in the lay-out shown in Fig. 3.

The use of a plurality of initiating circuitbreakers is illustrated in Fig. 3d, which is similar to Fig. 3a except for the following: The wire- .the most important circuit controlling apparaindentical in construction.

I04 is terminated at the lower row of lamps so that the initiating circuit-breaker C and the switch S6 controls only the row of lamps 41 and 48. A second initiating circuit-breaker C1, which is similar in construction to the circuit-breaker .5 C, and which operates in synchronism therewith, is provided between the wire ll0 and HM and controlsonly the upper row of lamps 44 and 45. A switch S8 is provided to by-pass the circuitbreaker C1. 10 Referring now to Figs. 1, 2, 6'and 'l, I shall describe the devices and circuits of a more com-' plete apparatus for my sign system, Fig. 1 showing an exemplification of the physical layout of 15 tus, and Fig. 2 showing a simple and comprehensive diagram thereof, Figs. 6 and 7 showing certain of the controlling mechanism on a larger scale.

The various control means, such as relays, circuit-breakers and switches for the explanatory circuits heretofore described, with reference to Fig. 3a, are also utilized in the control system illustrated in Fig. 2.

In Figs. 1 and 2 only a few lamps and relays are indicated in a diagrammatic way, the layout of the display board or sign board for the lamps and the relays being illustrated in Figs. 20 to 22.

Similarly to the arrangement discussed in connection with Figs. 3 and 311, there is provided for 30 each lamp L-l, L2, etc., a relay Rl, R-2, etc., and an initiating and maintaining circuit for the energization of the relay and the lighting up of the lamp.

Control board-Platens and sub-panels I shall first describe my apparatus when used for the display of still signs and confine myself, to the description of the instrumentallties' required therefor. I

The various controlling devices which are mounted on a control board J, consist of a panel 40 of insulated material carried by legs 4| (see Figs. 6 and 7) by means of which it rests on a suitable supporting frame or table 38.

The panel 40 carries two platens N--| and N2 and two corresponding sub-panels V| and V--2, the two platens N and N-2 and the two sub-panels V'l and V2' being respectively While I shall first refer to the contact platen N-l and its sub-panel V'I--which are as a rule those used for still displays-since the construction details of platen N2 and its sub-panel V-2 are identical with those of platen Nl and its sub-panel V-l, reference. will be made at times to the parts of platen N-2 and sub-panel V2 where such parts are more clearly illustrated in the figures than the corresponding parts of. the platen N-l and sub-panel V-l.

The panel 40 is provided with an aperture 44 adapted to receive the contact platen Nl which is preferably removable from the panel and which consists of a base 45 of insulating material into which are inserted contacts 46, the number and disposition of which preferably correspond to that of the lamps of the display board. The contact platen is reinforced on its two longest edges by angle irons 49-49 and rests with its two recessed sides 52 on corresponding supporting ledges. 53 of the panel 40 (Fig. 6). The platen is normally secured in place by screws 61. I

The contacts 46 are provided with downward extending reduced portions. (see Fig.7). While the contacts 46 may consist entirely of the same specially suited for contacts, for instance, by providing separate tungsten discs 46 which are preferably welded to the contacts 46 and constitute the uppercontacting face thereof.

The sub-panel V-I is disposed underneath the platen N-I andcarries metal cups 58, the

number and disposition of which correspond to those of the contacts 46 of the platen N--I. The metal cups 58 are partly filled with mercury 60 and the relative disposition of the platen N-I and sub-panel Vl is such that the reduced portions 41 of the contacts 46 immerse in the mercury 60 of the corresponding cups 58.

The cups 58 are provided with downward extending cylindrical sleeves 59, in which are soldered or otherwise secured the ends of corresponding lead wires II5 connecting to the individual lamps.

I prefer to combine the sub-panel VI for the platen NI and the sub-panel V--2 for the platen N-2, in a single panel 56 and support this panel by brackets 51-51 (see Fig. 6).

Stylus operation As stated above the contacts 46 correspond in number and disposition to the lamps of the display board and each contact is connected by means of the extension 41, mercury 60, sleeve 59.

and wire II5 to the corresponding relay R and lamp L (see Fig. 1). For instance, the third contact of the second horizontal row of the platen N-I will correspond to the third lamp in the second row of the display board. To illuminate any selected lamp a metallic stylus P or other similar contacting device is brought into contacting position with the corresponding contact 46 of said lamp, and thereby energizes its relay and lights its lamp by the circuits more clearly ,shown in Fig. 2.

wire I03, switch s6, wire I04, flexible connection I04, stylus P, contact h (which comprises the contact 46 with its extension 41, the merciuy 60 and the sleeve 59), wire H5, relay R, lamp L, wire I00, switch s, back to battery H. Energization of the relay R, causes the armature m to be attracted, thus closing the maintaining circuit, which can now be traced as follows: From battery H, through wires IM and I02, switch s-2, wires I03, I06, H0, through switch s-'I, wire II8, contact m, armature m, relay R, lamp L, through wire I and the switch 8, back to battery H. The lamp L now remains lighted even should the stylus P be removed from its corresponding contact.

By moving the stylus over successive contacts 45, so as to describe any prearranged or improvised deslgn, figure or script, lamps corresponding to the contacts so passed, will successively be lighted, causing the display of the design or script which has been traced on the platen. As previously stated, lamps once lighted will remain lighted even after the stylus P leaves their corresponding contacts 46. After the desired design tacts and manual control.

has been traced, and thus the corresponding lamps illuminated, this display will remain as long as desired. However, by opening the switch s and thus breaking .the maintaining circuits all of the lamps will be simultaneouslyextinguished. If 5 the stylus P has been in the meantime removed from the platen the switch 8 can be re-closed and no lamp will appear lighted and the sign is ready for a new display.

In practice I provide for suitable jacks 66 (Fig. 10 1) connected to the wire I04 in any one of which the flexible lead I04 of the stylus may be plugged, this lead being sufficiently long to enable the stylus to contact with all of the contacts 46 of the platen. If desired a number of stylli may be plugged in and simultaneously operated.

Instead of using a stylus having a single contact, one having a plurality of contacts for engaging several platen contacts simultaneously may be used or one which has multiple contacts in the form of a brush.

I desire at times to utilize stencilled sheets, per- -forated or cut out at points or along lines respectively corresponding to the desired contacts of the platen, in connection with wire brush con- I'he stencils may be introduced onto theplaten from the sides thereof, and'I provide means whereby the stencils may be rapidly interchanged without the necessity of the operator locating each with reference to the platen. To this end I mount on the control board, as shown to the left of the platen NI in Fig. l, a pair of guide rails 65-65. These rails are arranged in parallel with the platen, partially overlapping the latter, and are spaced a determined distance from the platen, and between such rails the stencils may be accurately and rapidly guided into position upon the platen and removed therefrom for interchanging.

Pantograph operati0n-Initiating and maintain- 40 ing circuit-breaker assembly I have also provided means whereby drawings, cartoons, or designs and the like may be reproduced upon the display board from a master ,5 drawing, cartoon, design or the like, by tracing over the lines which go to make up the latter. To accomplish this I provide a novel pantograph construction in which the pantograph forms a part of the circuit and has means for tracing the drawing or design and for simultaneously closing the circuits of the lamps at the platen contacts and combines in its structure means for completing these circuits at' the pantograph.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 23 and 24, the pantograph includes two pairs of parallel arms 230-230 and 23I23I interconnected with each other by a 4-arm connecting piece 232, in

, the form of a cross, to the end of the arms of which the parallel arms are respectively pivoted as shown, the arm pairs 230230 and 23I----23I moving in different horizontal planes. The free ends of the arms 23I are pivoted to a doublearmed strip 234, onearm constituting a pointer 236 adapted to follow a selected design placed on the left side of the platen NI, while the other arm 231 is a contactor which follows over the contacts 46 of the platen the movements de-- scribed by the pointer 236.

The free ends of the arms 230 are pivoted on pins 238 vertically extending from a cross-arm 239 provided with a handling knob 239'. ,-Two locating pins 240 are provided on the cross-arm 239, by means of which the pantograph is inserted in two corresponding jacks 660-6611 (see the. arms.

A convenient method of using the pantograph' Fig. 1) electrically connected with the wire I04. The electric connection to the contactor 231 is obtained through wire I04, jacks 66a, pins 240, pivot pins 230, parallel arms 230, connecting cross 232, parallel arms 23I, either directly to the contactor 231, or preferably, as shown, through strip 234, pointer 236 and a manually controlled interrupting switch 242.

In this latter case I provide for an insulating spacer 246 between the strip 234 and the contactor 231 and also provide an insulated terminal 241 on top of the strip 234 which I connect by means of a flexible wire 248 with the contactor 231. The interrupting switch 242 is secured by means of its spring 243 to. the tracer'236 and is electrically connected therewith. The switch 242 is normally opened by the spring 243 but completes the circuit to the contactor 231 from pointer 235 through spring 243, switch terminal 241, wire 248 upon its manual depression. Supporting studs 245 are provided on the various parts of the pantograph to insure free and parallel movement of the pointer, contactor and is by prearranging designs on cross-section paper, ,divisions of which correspond to the disposition or the contacts. of the platen, as indicated in Fig. 23 at 240.

For the display of another type of sign which I refer to as the silhouette, the exact character of which I shall describe later on, and the disnection with the still or standing signs, powerdriven circuit-breakers C and B interposed in the initiating circuits and maintaining circuits respectively.

These circuit-breakers are of the type referred to in connection with Fig. 3a and are utilized with the control circuits and apparatus employed in an installation such as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 6 and 7. 5

The circuit-breakers C and B (Fig. 2) are of identical construction there being, as already stated, as a -rule but a single circuit-breaker C for all of the initiating circuits of the lamps and a plurality of circuit-breakers B one'for each horizontal row of lamps.

All of the circuit-breakers B and the circuitbreaker C form a common assembly Y (see Figs. 1, 6 and 7), which consists of a cylinder I5 of insulating material carried by .a shaft I3 androtatably supported in bearings I4 and 88. The

circuit-breaker C appears at the right-hand end of, assembly Y of Figs. 1 and 6, the remainder being circuit-breakers B.

Imbedded in corresponding recesses of the cylinder l5 and suitably secured thereto are a plurality of semi-circular segment pairs designated u-I for breakers B and u--2 for breaker C, the segments of one pair being separated from each other by two diametrically opposite strips a::t of the cylinder I5, only one of which appears in Fig. 1. These strips run throughout the whole length of the cylinder and thus constitute narrow insulated portions between the two segments of each pair. In the diagrammatic showing in Fig. 2 these strips are designated x-I for the circuit-breakers B .and :I:2 for the cir cuit-breaker C for sake 'of clearness of illustration in tracing the circuits. Each contact pair is also insulated from the adjacent contact pairs by portions :c-Ifl of the insulating'cylinher to the circuit-breakers of the assembly Y, each segment pair uI-ul forms part of the circuit-breakers (designated as B-I, B2, etc., in Fig. 3a), and the segment pair u2-'-u2 .forms part 91 the circuit-breaker C, as stated. Cooper- 5 ating with each segment pair are two diametrically opposite spring contacts I) and c, of which the contacts bI-bI, b2-'b2, etc., of Fig. 311. form part of the circuit-breakers B-I-B-2, etc., and the contacts c-.-c form part of the circuit- 10 breaker C.

The shaft 13 is driven by suitable driving means here illustrated as an electric-motor M carrying on its shaft 10a gear II which engages a gear I2 of the circuit-breaker assembly Y.

The current for the motor M may be supplied from any suitable source of current, for instance, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the battery H. The energizing circuit of the motor can be traced as follows (see Fig. 2) Battery H, wire IOI, wire I20, switch s4 (which .when open rests with its free end on a contact 0 and for normal operation rests with its free end on a contact o2). through rheostat 1', motor armature M, motor field k, wire I25, wire I00, switch 8, back to batteryH. When the switch s is closed and the switch 3-4 is engaging contact 0-2, the motor M is thus energized and drives the circuit-break: ers B and C at any selected speed, depending on the adjustment of the rheostat 1'.

Instead of using a series motor as here illustrated, a shunt motor may also be used, or, it so desired, an A. C. motor of either the induction or of the synchronous type may be used.

With'the apparatus so far described display 05 of silhouettes occurs as follows:

Silhouette operation Instead of the single metallic stylus P previously described, a metallic contactor P0 is used, 40'

this contactor having outlines corresponding to the silhouettes to be displayed, as, for instance, the T shaped contactor shown in Fig. 19. This. metallic contactor is connected through a flexible plug connector I05 and the jack 66 (Fig. 1) to the wire I04 (Figs. 1 and 2).

' In moving the contactor Po over the contact platen and by energizing the initiating and maintaining circuits in thesequence to be described hereafter, a sign will be displayed in the form of a continuously 'moving silhouette, which in all of its intermediate positions will appear to the eye as being of the shape of the contactor Po, notwithstanding the fact, as shown in Fig. 19, in some of the intermediate positions the contacts covered by the contactor, due to the necessarily limited number thereof, may give a distorted picture of the contactor P0. The sinuous dotted line in Fig. 19 indicates the path of travel of a. point in the silhouette in moving from the full line position to the dotted line position, and the intermediate groups of contacts shown indicate some of those swept by the silhouette in moving from the one position to the other.

Assume now that the motor M is energized and the circuit-breakers B and C rotated at a constant speed, the energization of the relays R and the lighting and blanking of the lamps L will be as follows:

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 and tracing the clr-- cuits on Fig.2 and assuming that the switches s and s-'-I are closed and the switches s--6 and sI are open, and the switch s2 in contacting position with contact point o--I0 and switch s-.-4 in contacting position with contact 0-2, the

driving motor M is started and the lamps 'corresponding to the contacts 48 of the platen cov-- ered by the contactor Po will be energized as soon as the metallic portion u-2 of the circuitbreaker C contacts with the spring contacts -0 of this circuit-breaker. This energization will occur by means of the initiating circuits (which are similar to those already described in connection with Fig. 3a), which may be traced on Fig. 2 as follows: Battery H, wire IOI, wire I02', contact o-'-I0, switch s-2, wire I03, wire I06, circuitbreaker C, wire I01, switch s-I, wire I00, wire I04, flexible connection I05 (assuming it to be substituted for the flexible connection I04 of the stylus), contactor P0 (substituted for the stylus 1?), through contacts h covered by contactor Po, and the individual wires 5, relays R and lamps L coresponding to these contacts (only one of each of which is shown in Fig. 2),

through common wire I00, back to battery. The

relays R now being energized through the initiating circuit attract their armature m and establish their respective maintaining circuit as follows: Battery H, wire IOI, wire I02, contact o-I0, switch s2, wires I03, I 06 and I I 0, through the circuit-breakers B (one for each horizontal row as described with reference to Fig. 3a) and the corresponding bus lines 0 (one for each horizontal row. as illustrated in Fig. 3a), branch wires 8' (one for each lamp of the row) contacts m", armatures m, relays R and lamps L, back to battery via wire I00. The circuit-breakers B being synchronized with the circuit-breaker C, bridge their contact springs at the same time as the circuit-breaker C bridges its contact springs.-

The lamps so lighted will remain energized as long as their maintaining circuits are closed, thus until the insulated portions of the circuit-breakers B have engaged the spring contacts of the circuitbreakers at which time these circuits are broken and the lamps extinguished. But they willbe immediately relighted by the establishment of the initiating and maintaining circuits unless the contactor P0 has moved off the contacts '40 covered by it. As the contactor P0 is moved to new positions the initiating and maintaining circuits of the lamps corresponding to the contacts 40 covered by the contactor in these various positions will be established and broken and the corresponding lamps lighted and extinguished; If the movement of the contactor Po and the speed of the circuit-breaker Y is properly harmonized, v a moving display is transmitted to the eye which 55- corresponds in shape to the shape of the contactor Po, notwithstanding the fact that in intermediate positions the display may be. actually distorted, as already referred i I may also employ silhouettes which, instead of being fixed in outline, are articulated, for 'instance, a figure jumping jack in which the arms and legs are jointed and are pivoted to the body, the articulated members being controlled in position by the hand and fingers of the operator'or automatically. In such case I prefer to define the configuration of the silhouette to be produced by a series of contacts electrically connected with and loosely and self-adiustably mounted on the frame of the silhouette, to compensate for departures from parallelism with the platen which may occur as the former is shifted'about the platen.

It should be noted that a great variety of suchsilhouettes can be made up, and in case it is dewhich three or more platens are included, individual silhouettes working on different platens may show up as a combined display on the lamp panel; further, that a silhouette may be used in combination with a fixed or running sign, either using the same or different platens, and a great variety of novel and pleasing effects being thus obtained.

Record operation-Contact block to which, as the letters are running in a single,

horizontal line, I shall refer as the ribbon type sign. However, for reasons more fully set forth hereafter, I prefer to have the display brought into view progressed in a vertical direction.

The record is drawn between two sets of corresponding contacts, the lower set consisting of the contacts of the contact platen N 2, already described as identical in construction with the contact platen N-I, and which is arranged alongside the other, while the upper set is formed of individual spring contacts electrically and V mechanically interconnected with each other in a common block W. The controlling record is freely fed between the two"sets of contacts, whereby the contact springs are separated by the record from their respective platen contacts, until a perforation of the record comes beneath a spring contact, whereupon the latter is permitted to press upon its respective platen contact, thereby establishing the circuit of the corresponding lamp.

The record I is made up of suitable insulating material which is thin and pliable, but sufficiently strong. It may be of any desired length and sent through the feeding mechanism similarly to individual music rolls or it may form a continuous loop and be fed from a receptacle between the two sets of contacts through the feeding mechanism and back to the receptacle.

The upper contact block Wis shown in detail in Figs. 9 to 14a. It consists of a metal block A 200 provided on its lower face with crosswise running toothed recesses 20 I, to receive the individual contacts p, designated in Fig. 2 as p-I, p2, etc. The individual contacts 1: consist of obliquely disposed resilient tongues 202, which, as shown in Fig. 14a, for eachhorizontal row extend from a single metal strip 206. The ends of the tongues 202 are bent and are provided with an embossing 203 or other suitable contacting point. A contact strip 200 is placed in each recess 20I so as to rest on the oblique face thereof, and is reinforced by strips 204 placed on top of the contact strip 200, such contact and reinforcing .strips being jointly secured by means of screws 205 to the block 200. I

The underneath surfaces of the plate 200 are cut away beyond the ends of the tongue strips 206 and rest on two insulating strips 2I0, to-which the plate 200 is properly secured by means of screws- 200, The strips 2I0 are beveled at their front ends 200, and are provided with ledges 2" which extend the length of the block and support the latter on the platen.

Attached to the insulating strip 2| I by means the record patterns.

of screws 2 are brackets 2I8, which carry on their lower face metal strips H2 and 2I2--a,, re-- spectively. The strip 2I2-a is provided with a flexible plug connection I05 which, when the contact block is in position to be operated in conjunction with the record, is plugged into one of the jacks 66, as shown in Fig. 1. Each metal strip 2I2 and 2I2-rt is provided with a locating pin 2I6,

the platen contacts 46 when the perforations of the record permit them to do so.

As previously stated, the contacts 46 of the contact platen N2 as well as the contacts 202 of the contact block W have the same number and arrangement as the lamps of the sign.

The record is perforated by punching or other suitable method, and the individual holes are made to correspond in disposition to the contacts of the platen and contact block, so that all of the holes forming the patterns to be displayed which pass at some instant between the platen and contact block simultaneously align with the contacts. The perforations are so grouped as to make up the desired lettersor designs, and since the lamps and the contacts 46 and 202 form rectangular systems, the holes of the records are disposed along horizontal and vertical lines.

The perforated records are preferably provided on both sides near to the edges with holes q--I (see Figs. 15-18) to engage corresponding teeth of the feeding mechanism hereafter described, and thereby provide for a positive and predetermined progress of the record. It should be noted that I prefer that the distance between the holes be equal to the distance between successive horizontal rows of perforations forming However, this is not of primary importance. 1

Record feeding mechanism For the feeding as well as proper tensioning of the perforated record I, there is provided a feeding mechanism located in the rear of the platen N-2 and mounted on the panel 40. This mechanism comprises two side frames 95 and 96 on which are supported the rollers of -.the feeding mechanism. The feeding mechanism may be driven by any suitable means, as for instance illustrated in Figs. 1, 6' and 7, from the shaft 13 of the circuit-breaker assemblyY. This shaft carries a pinion 81 which engages a gear I42 (see T struction and dimensions to the roller I4l, is supported by the frames 85 and 96, this roller being disposed somewhat in advance in respect to the roller MI, and is driven therefrom through engagement of a gear I43 of the shaft I40 with a gear-I44, provided on the shaft I45a of the upbreaker.

per driving roller I45. Similarly to the roller I H, the roller I'45 is also provided wit I teeth I49 and collars I6I for the forwarding a 'd guiding of the record. 2

Also supported by the frames 85 and 86 and 8 in the rear of roller I,4I and at the same height as the roller I45, is provided a roller I46, which i's-of the same dimensions as the rollers HI and I45. The roller I46 is also provided with guiding collars I at both ends, but does not carry teeth. 10 It is driven by a gear I 63a carried on its shaft I63, which engages the gear I 43 of the roller I M.

Swingedly pivoted in the frames 95-96 is a roller I48, which when swung-in its operative position loosely rests on the top of the roller I46. 15 For this purpose the shaft I64 of the roller I48 is rotatably supported by two side arms I52-I52, which in their turn are pivotally supported by means of detachable pivots I 54 by the side frames 95 and 96. The arms I52I52 are reinforced 20 -by a suitable distance piece I53.

2 I50, which engages when the roller I48 is in its operative position a gear I5I of the shaft I63 of roller I 46.

The roller I48 when swung from its operative position by a movement of about 180 permits easy access for insertion of the records,

Located in the rear of the roller I48 is. a guide apron I65, which is swingedlysupported at its 80 heel I66 (Fig. 7) by the panel 40. The shape and disposition of the apron is such that, when swung in operative position, its free end comes to rest against the roller I46, slightly below' the top thereof, and slopes downwardly towards its heel 5 whereby it provides for a convenient rest for the record I asit moves from the feeding roller towards its receptacle, as will be explained later on.

As the forwarding rolls are driven from the circuit-breaker assembly their speed is in a positive 40 and fixed relation to 'the speed of the circuit- For the proper feeding of the records towards the contact platen I preferably provide an idling roller I10 mounted in front of the platen, the 45 roller being provided with side collars I61 to prevent sideward movement of the record, and I place a suitable guide rod I15 in front of this roll and feed the paper between the rod I15 andthe roll I 10. Toproperly' stretch the record I 50 preferably provide an idling top roller I12, which is pivoted in swingedly mounted bearing arms I14 and loosely rests in its operative position on top of the roller I10. When swung from its operative position toward the contact block W it 55 permits easy access for the insertion'of records. The record may be fed from a receptacle (not shown), up through a slot in the table 38, be-

tween the rollers I10 and I12, thence across the platen N-Z, beneath the contact block W, be- 60 neath and around the lower roller MI and from it forwardly and around the roller I45, and rearwardly between the rollers I46 and I48, thence over the apron I back to the receptacle.

The. records Figs. 15 and 18 illustrate fragments of the record for various displays of running words, figures and designs. For the purpose of illustration, a record of 6" width has been selected with oneeighth of an inch spacing of the platen contact assumed, thus corresponding to 48 contacts per row. However, it should be noted thatas a rule two or three spaces are left blank on each side of the record. The height of the contact platen sub-divide the record in standard widths, for instance, into 6" wide records in case of spacing of oneeeighth of an inch just assumed. In caseof a display board comprising 120 lamps per row,

I then use three individual records placed side by side properly overlapped if necessary, co-

operating with corresponding groups of contacts and fed by individual or interlocked feeding mechanisms. As the beginning 'of each record is marked and the individual records interlocked,

' the same display of the lamp will result as if a single record of a triple width would be employed. When displaying running words, the height and width of'the letters may be varied. For instance letters seven contacts high and five contacts wide are found very suitable,running words composed of such letters being shown in Fig. 15. However, lettersof greater and smaller width and height can be used. For instance, letters five spaces high and three spaces wide are 39' shown on the top row of Fig. 18, while in the fourth row of Fig. 15 the letter S is shown as being nine spaces high and-five spaces wide. The interval between the individual letters may also be varied; I have found that with the letters of the size indicated, about three spaces give good definition of the individual letters, although smaller. and greater intervals may be used. In the same way intervals between the rows may be conveniently varied. With a height of the letters as indicated, four to. five space intervals give goodseparation of the rows, although both larger and smaller line intervals may be employed.

In the Figures 17 and 18, besides letters and figures, there are also shown various designs, most of which are of symmetrical arrangement. However,- it-should be noted that designs of any kind or character may be made up.

In the operation of the sign under control of l the record, the successive horizontal lines of the 5 display are brought into view at or adjacent the bottom of the bank of massed lamps, and the display moved upwardly. Should the vertical com--.

ponents of the configurations or characters comprising the data, in the succeeding rows of data punched on the record, fall in line one below the other, it will be readily recognized that the same vobjection will arise, as is now true of the ribbon type of sign where-the letters move horizontally from right to left, namely, that there would be 99 certain rows of lamps which would be used inordinately as compared to other rows, with the result of a comparatively short lamp life of th inordinately used rows. J

I have found that by .staggering the vertical components of the characters or configurations forming the succeeding horizontal rows of data, instead of unduly using particular vertical rows of lamps, I distribute the use of the lamps generally throughout the length of the horizontal 7 lines of display with the result that a substantially uniform use of thelamps is obtained, and an average use quickly established. The record thus has the lines of data placed thereon transverse to the direction of travel of the record and 76 of the display in the lamp mass, and the data is composed of lines of characters defined by the contact controlling perforations, and the perforations forming the vertical components of characters in succeeding lines of data are staggered. As has already been pointed out in the ribbon ,5 type of display, there are certain rows of lamps, namely, the top and bottom and intermediate rows, corresponding to the cross bars of the letters which get a great excess of use as compared with the other horizontal rows, with the result 11) that the lamp life in the excessively used rows is comparatively short, necessitating frequent replacements. In my method wherein the display is by succeeding lines of letters, there being spaces between the letters as in ordinary print- 15;

ing, I can obtain the staggered arrangement of the vertical components in the succeeding lines,

but this is not possible in the ribbon type, be-

' cause in the latter the letters follow one behind the other along a horizontal path, in rapid suc- 2o cession, and must for ease of recognition and reading be thus aligned horizontally as in printing. In my method, however, while there are several horizontal lines displayed at the same time in linotype fashion which may be read in 2;

the normal way, the staggering of the vertical rows can take place without any inconveniences whatsoever in the recognition or the reading of the data being displayed. Indeed, from observ ing the sign, one is not conscious that any stag- 30 gering takes place except upon close and careful observation. I also intend to use at times inclined, or slanted letters or characters which also tend to afford a uniform, lamp use, especially .when properly positioned or staggered.

Furthermore, in my method of display, fur ther important advantages are obtained over the ribbon type of display, concerning the length of time in which the words displayed by my method are visible, the character and life of 40;

the lights used, the speed of display, the length of duration of display, and greater readability and continuity of indications. This may be illustrated in a simple way by considering, for instance, the display of a ten-letter word by the 45;

ribbon type and by my method, the letters being made up of seven horizontal rows of lights, and four vertical rows of lights, there being used a spacing" of three vertical rows between each letter, and assuming an additional spacing of one 5 vertical row at each end of the word, there being a space of full visibility of five rows or spaces. In the ribbon type sign where the letters appear in horizontal sequence, there would be required in order to bring the full wortf into visibility, 55-

sixty-nine steps, the space of full visibility five steps, with a total of seventy-four steps or rows; whereas, in my method in which the movement is in a vertical direction, considering the display of the one word only, and the same requirement of a spacing of five points between the word and the next one below it, there would be required to bring the full word into visibility only seven steps,

the space of full visibility five steps, total twelve steps, as against seventy-four steps for the rib- 05-, bon type of display. As to the time element involved for the display in the two types, assuming that two seconds are required for the transition from the beginning of sight of the first letter of the ten-letter word assumed above, to the beginning of the disappearance of the first letter, in

the ribbon type of display, the time required for each point of advance would be 1/37 of a second and the time of full visibility, assuming the five points, would be 5/37 of a second. a 1; I

' 7/37 of a second instead of two seconds, that is,

roughly, one-tenth of the time required ibr the ribbon type of display. For the display of data contained in two lines in my system, assuming the five-point space between lines, 19/69 of a second would be required as against four seconds for. the ribbon type oi display, or, roughly. about one-fourteenth of the time that it would be required in theribbon type to bring two full words into view.

It follows that if the same speed of making and breaking circuits and transition of the whole image is used in my system as in the ribbon type display, I canoperate many times faster with- -dlsplay, and in addition, as has already been pointed out, I can distribute the use of the lamps substantially uniformly amongst the whole mass. Again, I am able to display in a given time as much, and more, information as the ribbon type of display, at the'same time making the speed of light changes in my systennmuchslower,

thereby obtaining the important advantage of minimizing the flickering common to and objectioiiable in the ribbon'type of display, and at the same time am enabled to use lamps of standard manufacture. In the ribbon type signs,

-lamps of special construction are utilized, de-

signed to obtain relatively high brilliancy at high speeds of light changes and having 001.16? spondingly relatively short life.

Initiating and maintaining circuit-breaker oper ation-lamp brilliancy Figs. 4 and 4a to 49 show diagrammatically the sequence of the conditions assumed by the controlling circuits and devices for a lamp L when 45 the initial operating condition it will be noted that the initiating circuit is broken at the contact springs 0-0 of the circuit-breaker C, and the maintaining circuit is broken at the'contact spring b-'-b of the circuit-breaker B, as these contact spring: 0 and b lie on the insulated portions a:2a:2 and ml-xi of their respective circuit-breakers. Besides that, the initiating circuit is also broken at the movablecontact p and stationary contact h, and the maintaining circuit is broken at the open relay contacts mm'.

As the contactors oi. the circuit-breakers B and C advance, the respective spring contacts b and c come to contact with the metal portions u-l and 14-2, respectively of these circuit breakers,

as illustrated in Fig. 4a. However, the initiating circuit and the maintaining circuits are still broken at the open contacts 9-7:. and m-m',

respectively.

If a perforation of the record-I comes to pass between the contact p and its corresponding contact h, or if the contact 1: is represe'ntedby a stylus or contactor engaging with h in case of a 1 under manual control.

lamp L by means of the following circuits: From plus battery through wire I", through lamp L and relay R, wire 5, contacts h and 9, wire I, circuit-breaker C, wires I03 and NH to negative battery. As soon as the relayR is energized, it I picks up its armature m, as shown in Fig. 4c,

which establishes the maintaining circuits of the relay 3 through. plus battery, wire I00; lamp L, relay R, armature m, contact m, wire I I8, circuitbreaker B, wires H0 and IM back to negative to battery. This condition will persist as shown in Fig. 4d, while the rotors of the circuit-breakers B and 0 still further advance until the initiatin circuit is broken. This happens in case of a progressing record, when an insulated portion of 15 the record reaches the contact 9, and thus electrically separates it from its respective platen contact h,--or, in the case oi. manual operation, when the stylus or contactor is removed from the corresponding platen contact. While the 0 initiating circuit is broken, the maintaining circuit, as shown in Fig. 4c, remains closed. This condition will now persist notwithstanding further-rotationoi the circuit-breakers, as shown in Fig. 4}, until it has moved so far that the 85 spring contacts b-b of the circuit-breaker B engage on the insulated portions :rl-zl. In this position, as shown in Fig. 4a, the maintaining circuit is broken and the relay R deenergized and the lamp extinguished; the initiating circuit is 80 also open at the circuit-breaker C and the con dition shown in Fig. 4 again prevails.

Instead of opening the initiating circuit by breaking the contacts p--h, this circuit may be first broken at the circuitrbreaker C, by corre- I5 spondinsly shortening the metallic portion u-I of its rotor, as shown in Fig. 5.

Also, by changing the angular relation of the contact segments u-l and 10-2 of the circuitbreakers B and C with respect to each other as 40 shown in Fig. 5a, the time interval during which the lamps are lighted may be shortened, to various .degrees'dependin'g upon this angular relation.

This results in the decrease of the lamp intensity without the use of objectionable resistances, and to the degree selected. By using separate circuit-breakers B and C for various selected groups of lamps and adjusting the corresponding circuit-breakers B and C for different angular relationship, the lamps of the various groups will appear in diiierent brilliancy whereby various novel results may be obtained.

Whenever the circuit-breakers B and C are in operation, with the display under the simulta- 56 neous control of the record and silhouette or either alone, the lamp circuits are made and broken in rapid succession so that they would not, unless otherwise provided, attain the brilliancy they would acquire in a still display or 00' when the breaking and making of the circuits is In order to have the brilliancy of the. lamps when under the control of the circuit-breakers, assuming a standard speed for the driving motorM, the same as for under manual oontrolor at standstill, I provide a'booster generator G in the supply circuit to thereby augment. the voltage of the battery, an automatic control being provided to energize the booster at a predetermined speed of the motor M, below its standard speed.

The booster generator G may be driven by any suitable motor, for instance, ashunt rhotorM-l,

which in its turn is energized from anysuitable source. For proper adjustment of-the'yoltage of 16 

